The new Chief of Defence would replace the existing Chief of Staff position and be supported by a Vice Chief of Defence within a new Defence Forces headquarters. The army, air corps, and naval service will each have their own headquarters, with an individual service chief running each branch. Under the proposals, the new Chief of Defence would be required to prepare and submit an annual defence plan detailing how the forces are implementing the Government’s priorities on defence matters. Currently, the junior defence minister is a member, but they have no delegated roles on defence matters. Mr Martin has appointed senior counsel Peter Ward to undertake an independent examination of the administration of such cases by the Defence Forces.

Source: Irish Examiner July 01, 2024 00:39 UTC